Sycamore mourns loss of longtime school board president Jim Dombek

SYCAMORE – A moment of silence was held Tuesday at the beginning of a Sycamore Community School District 427 school board meeting to mark the passing of Jim Dombek, the board’s president who had died the previous day.

Dombek, 68, was first elected to the board in 1997, when “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” was first published and Comet Hale-Bopp was seen across the world. Before the turn of the millennium, he was made board president and never relinquished the title.

In a statement provided to Shaw Local, Sycamore school board vice president Michael DeVito said Dombek “had the heart of a servant.”

“For decades he served the school district and his community in many roles. His impact touched many lives. From when we’d ‘duck jeeps,’ to serving on pumpkin fest, to helping our car club with pro bono legal advice, Jim was willing to help. Generosity and servitude was his nature,” DeVito wrote.

[ Read more: Longtime Sycamore school board president Jim Dombek dies at 68 ]

With law degree from IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law, Dombek was known for lending his services throughout the DeKalb County community. He worked with Habitat for Humanity of DeKalb County, the Sycamore Pumpkin Festival and other area organizations, particularly those that benefit students.

Ordained in 1991, Dombek also received a Master of Arts in Theology at Loras College in Dubuque and was a permanent deacon for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rockford.

The Rev. Robert Gonnella of Newman Catholic Student Center in DeKalb said he’ll remember Dombek for the way he served his community.

“I think the word that sticks out to me most has been humility, and his just incredible humility as he has served this community, and his willingness to be there for people and to do what needs to be done and just to be of service. Service and humility, I think, really categorize or characterize his time here,” Gonnella said. “I’ve always really appreciated just his presence around, he’s got a very comforting and calming presence when he has been around, and I think people are always happy when he’s there.”

A visitation will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday at Butala Funeral Home, 1405 DeKalb Ave. in Sycamore, and again from 10 to 11 a.m. Saturday at Newman Catholic Student Center, 512 Normal Road in DeKalb. A funeral Mass for Dombek will be held at the church following visitation.

His family has requested donations to the Dombek Family Community Service Scholarship Fund, through the DeKalb County Community Foundation, in lieu of flowers.

Sycamore school board member Alex Grados, a 2022 Sycamore High School grad currently attending Northern Illinois University, wrote in an email to Shaw Local that Dombek’s 25-year tenure as board president “left a lasting legacy.”

“His passion for education and commitment to students and the community will be deeply missed,” Grados wrote. “Serving with him, Jim was always in high spirits, and his unwavering desire to make a difference in his community was truly admirable. My thoughts are with the Dombek family during this difficult time.”

Beth Marie Evans, who was elected to the board alongside Grados in April 2023, said she learned a lot from Dombek over the year they worked together.

“I just got a lot of wisdom from him in the year that I was on the board with him, and I just want to publicly give my condolences to his family, and just say that I’m very sorry for this great loss,” Evans said.

Christian Copple, the board’s newest member, said he’ll miss Dombek and his dry sense of humor.

“He cared deeply for Sycamore and our community. I may not have always seen eye to eye with him on issues, but he always had wise council, a solid thought process behind his positions – something I think more attorneys, public officials should strive for. He was willing to give me career advice when I asked for it, and having kind attorneys like him in the area, to guide me early on, helped shaped the practice that I do today, and how I conduct myself as an attorney,” said Copple, a Kane County public defender.

Board member James Chyllo spent five years on the board with Dombek, including during the brunt of the COVID-19 pandemic. He said he appreciated Dombek’s leadership through that era.

“[Dombek was] navigating the news as he was getting it, things were changing up to the minute prior to board meetings,” said Chyllo, recalling and appreciating how Dombek would let them express their opinons on the situation before providing his own.

Chyllo said he thought Dombek was “a true leader” because he listened to other’s opinions and didn’t put his thoughts before those of other board members.

Superintendent Steve Wilder said he thinks Dombek was a great leader because he was a good listener and passionate about his community.

“He knew that the school district was a big piece of the community, but he always did it with respect, with fairness. You might have disagreed with him, but it’s not because of the way he treated you,” Wilder said. “He always came to board meetings prepared, and he always had a sound reason in terms of what his decision was going to be.”

The Sycamore school board discussed various ideas for restructuring the board’s committees and work flow during a special meeting Tuesday, but no votes were taken. Although Dombek’s seat is now vacant, the board did not take any action on the matter.

Board vice president DeVito ran Tuesday’s meeting, as he has done for most of the board’s meetings over the past four months, and will automatically assume the office of board president, according to board policy.

Reconciling with the board president’s death, DeVito shared a phrase Dombek would often say at board meetings that he said he’ll hold onto.

“We may not always agree on everything, but our board can always leave that disagreement at the meeting and keep respect and kindness for each other after we adjourn,” DeVito said in his statement, quoting Dombek.